Fate of Survey Research Presented at the
Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology
Annual Meetings (2015–2019)
Markus Gulilat MD PhD, Kaitlin Nelson MSc, Jill Mhyre MD, Ruth Landau MD,
Paloma Toledo MD MPH, Anthony Chau MD MMSc FRCPC

Background:

Key Questions:

Hypothesis:

• Survey research essential for
questions not addressable by
other methods; often viewed
as less rigorous

• Primary: What is the publication
rate of survey research abstracts?

• Publication rate of survey
research abstracts
presented at SOAP
comparable to benchmark
of biomedical research
abstracts

• SOAP introduced processes
to improve survey research
quality, yet publication
outcomes unclear

• Secondary:
What response rates and sample
sizes are associated with
publication success?
When and where did survey
abstracts get published?

Study Design & Methods

Primary outcome: publication rate of survey abstracts

*Exact binomial test: 33/89 abstracts, p>0.999

Secondary Outcomes

A.

B.

C.
Time to Publication
% (n/N)

D

Within 6 mos

9.1% (3/33)

Within 1 yr

27.3% (9/33)

Within 2 yrs

63.6% (21/33)

Within 3 yrs

84.8% (28/33)

Within 5 yrs

90.9% (30/33)

Top Journal of Publication: International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia

Discussion
• SOAP survey abstracts had publication rates comparable to general scientific meeting abstracts.
• However, there is still room for improvement. The SOAP survey process and SOAP Research
Committee peer review may enhance survey design quality and reporting.
• Survey sample sizes >100 and response rates >50% are associated with subsequent
publication of abstracts.
• Our study was not designed to fully characterize predictors of publication, and many factors
influencing non-publication were not captured.